Split hot dog buns hold seasoned ground sausage with soft peppers and onions, finished under the broiler. These buttered buns toast golden while the filling heats through, turning a pantry shelf into a quick weeknight dinner for two.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 12 at the stove.

About 730 calories a serving, 48 g protein, 22 g carbohydrate, 53 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

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1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble 8 ounces ground sausage into the pan and break it apart with a spoon, cooking until no pink remains, about 5 minutes.5 min
2. Dice 1 small onion and 1 red bell pepper into half-inch pieces. Push the sausage to one side of the skillet, add the onion and pepper to the empty side, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 6 minutes. Mince 2 garlic cloves and stir them in, cooking for 1 minute more.6 min
3. Toss the sausage, vegetables, and 2 minced garlic cloves together. Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.
4. Position a rack 4 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler to high. Split 4 hot dog buns lengthwise without cutting all the way through. Spread 1 tablespoon butter across the four bun halves, about 1 teaspoon each.
5. Divide the sausage filling evenly among the four bun halves, tucking it inside. Set them on a baking sheet, open-side up, and broil until the buns toast to golden brown at the edges and the filling is hot throughout, about 2 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning.2 min

Note Swap ground beef for sausage if that's what you have. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for two days and reheat in a toaster oven. Serve with hot sauce on the side or a simple green salad to balance the richness of the meat and butter.